dark side Archives - Jonathan Hilton Mind Connections

What do we all have in common that makes us human?

No matter where you live or what you do to survive, life always boils down to our choices. From who you choose as friends to how responsible you are, it is all decided consciously. We all can choose what we experience.

Many people have a hard time accepting responsibility for these choices in their lives, but if you look at yourself honestly and in an unbiased fashion, you will see the power your preferences have had on your life’s success or failure.

Yet often, we fail to look closer and see the common threads that run through us all. Our choices in what we see, who we love, where we go, and what we do are all made by us alone. Think along with me and recognize the power of your choices as you do.

One Connection Through us All

I think that we are all connected. You are reading this, and my miles away from you, a person you have never met, are connected. I believe in the energy we produce each day through the tenor and intention of the thoughts we create.

Some see God as a being that exists somewhere, guiding us from afar or judging us either good or bad in our actions. Based on some outward notions of right and wrong.

Yet, it seems that God is much closer and more involved than that. He is inside each of us, and when you can quiet your mind, you can hear that power in all things. God doesn’t judge. God guides. How well we listen will provide joy or disappointment in our experience.

I am not looking for a fight to convince you of anything or change what you believe because that is your Connection and, of course, your choice. I know that I have never felt more connected and sure than I do now. We all have this Connection inside of us and need to look for it and listen to it to know what we should do. We are all connected, and that makes us human. It is your choice to determine how that Connection affects your life. I feel that anything that provides separation of people is not from God, and anything that connects people is.

The Choice of Kindness

When I look at all people, I think we all have the choice of kindness every day in all situations we encounter.

Someone yells at you unfairly, and you have a choice, hug them or punch them in the face. Someone gives you a gift, and you have the same choice. The choice of your action is always with you, not someone else.

I have never encountered a situation where kindness was not the right thing to do or didn’t make a bad situation better.

It eases the pain, boosts morale, and makes people feel generally good and hopeful about the future. All of these happy ships of thought are sent through acts of kindness. We all choose to be kind or cruel; you decide what the people in your life will be experiencing. The ability to choose to share hearts makes us all human.

Greatness Lies In Us

All people are born with a great talent of some kind. Unfortunately, life seems to present us with a relentless avalanche of experiences that cause us to forget what this talent is. To the point that we forget we possessed it in the first place.

There is a passion inside of you and me that is our own. Each of us has this; once you investigate it, you will find your path. The one that makes you truly happy and allows you to connect to life in the best way possible.

Dreams are the vehicles that these passions follow. You dream of what you would love to do with your life, and your passion and talent make this happen. Sometimes we create our roadblocks by overthinking things and believing the negativity that others provide.

What if this happens? Or if only that should happen? Or any other million possible limiting questions that can impede you from simply reaching for your dream. It may seem daunting and too much of a chance, but the only way you will ever know is to create the journey toward your goals. The journey is a powerful thing because that is where life lessons exist.

How much will I cherish the lessons I learn on the way? Mistakes are great teachers and often bring tasks you need to know to reach the dream eventually. We are all searching for our true selves and the ability in us that will make us great. Your choice is to seek this talent or let it lie dormant forever. You can’t blame anybody else.

The Dark Side

One of the scary parts of having the freedom to choose is that from time to time, we are going to

We all have a darkness, without it we couldn't recognize the light. — We all have darkness; without it, we couldn’t recognize the light.

Choose wrong. There is a dark side in everyone, and all people are capable of great goodness and great evil, and it is one of the mysteries that make life delicious to taste. It is a choice.

Everyone has been on the dark side at some point, and it may have seemed like it was for a good cause, but when you choose anger, fear, intolerance, or hate, you choose the dark side of humankind.

I am not wise enough to know why, and I only observe and know that from what I have seen, both darkness and light do exist inside every person I have ever met, including myself.

Accepting this fact is not difficult because nobody is perfect. I recall all the times I chose for selfish, fear-driven reasons, and I know I could have done better. It is not a criticism of people, only an observation of fact.

All people have a dark side. Putting it aside and maintaining the light is a show of strength, which is the most difficult choice.

We are all the same

All people have so much in common that I often find it inconceivable that hate exists merely for arbitrary reasons, race, religion, culture, region, or even sexual orientation.

If people focused on what we have in common rather than their differences, the world would be friendlier and more productive. I know that people attacking differences in others is a defense mechanism to make them feel safe, but I can always hope that it will change and our commonalities will be more important than how we are different.

What were the most powerful choices in your life?

Focus On the Force

Each of us has a power that we either use to help move us toward our goals or provide an excuse for not achieving what we want. I think it is much more similar to life in the Star Wars franchise than we would probably admit. All people contain within themselves a duality. These two sides have a high potential to do things perceived as an excellent good or something representing evil.

All people contain this power within them, and that is the force of life. It is not by magic that people end up living an authentic life. It is by conscious decision. The choices we make in every moment dictate the nature of the force within us. These choices are a refreshing combination of how we think about ourselves, the world, and everything in it. Focus honestly on how you feel about things and your conscious thoughts today. Notice the emotions that arise in you because of an idea. Then see the words and actions that come from that. This process determines the power and nature of the force in you. It all starts with thoughts.

Operating on the Light Side

We would all like to think of ourselves as being the hero and doing what is right always. That is not a human experience. It is a constant struggle between our two sides. Here is the simple formula for working with the forces of light. Put others before yourself, be kind in thought and deed, accept the differences of others, feel joy, peace, serenity, love, hope, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. All of these exist within us, and it is our choice to practice them or not.

What a world we would have if all people were able to function in this part of themselves. If you look at how you like to be treated, all of these things are probably on the list. Choosing these things and meaning allows the force within you to help others. It isn’t always easy to think this way when you see someone doing something say to someone else or you. It is human nature to want to fight back and take an eye for an eye. When we are hurt, we want to cut back. To put that instinct aside and treat a situation with love will allow the force in you to do great good in the world.

Welcome to The Dark Side

Welcome to the dark side, which needs no introduction, I am sure because we all have one of these. Our darkness exists by our insecurities, pains, and fears of our lives. Anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, superiority, and ego contribute to our dark side. These are thoughts that lead to words and actions that will directly or indirectly harm others somehow. But the person who is hurt the most is you. The dark side of the force does contain the power, but it is corrupting, painful and takes away the good in the world for selfish gain.

Many people I have known can harm someone by directly consciously speaking words that exploit the insecurity of someone. Then fear is generated, or selfishness, and that person has been infected. Look at the people in your life and how they speak to you and others. Where on the scale of the force does their intention come from in each moment? The allure of the dark side is that you will not have to suffer again. But the truth is, of course, your actions are causing you to experience. These thoughts and emotions wear you down and hurt you. To feel these things is the dark side.

Your Force is Always there.

Inside of each of us, this force I am trying to define is always available to you. It is there to call on when you need strength to face a challenge. Even in the most desperate times in life, remember the force in you will be there to push back the adversity and allow you to thrive if you let it. You may have to make a course adjustment, learn a new skill, create a new goal, or start over. Whatever the task ahead of you, the power to move toward it every day is the force inside you.

Be conscious of how you can help yourself and help others see the good in the world through you. Take advantage of opportunities to show this. Consciously practice kindness even when there is no apparent gain for you. Create hope for someone in the world. Don’t let mindless anger brought on by fear control you. It solves nothing but creates pain in the world. Pain and suffering are the calling cards of the dark side of the force within you.

Where does your force lie?

Every day, you have a choice to cause pain and suffering to others or create joy and kindness. These choices develop in the thoughts you choose to entertain. Are they from the dark side, or are they from the light? The force in you will always be there working on the side that you choose. So choose your thoughts wisely. The world depends on it. And it all starts with your thoughts, the corresponding emotions they lead to, the tenor of the words you speak, and the actions you take. All things will affect the force in you and the effect that energy has on the world. Which side of the line do you fall on here?

“We must wake.” -Yoda

“Always pass on what you have learned.”- Yoda

“The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see the future is.”- Yoda

Jonathan Hilton Mind Connections

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The Power of Your Choice